Page 160 of Prince of Darkness and Deceit

Major?

“And your time with the prisoner is over. Come.”

Juniper doesn’t budge. “No.”

“No?”

“Elara is not healed. I’m still needed here.”

A flicker of emotion crosses his gaze as he glances at me. “She looks fine.”

Liar.

“She has cracked ribs and bruised kidneys,” Juniper snaps back. “I will stay here and continue to monitor her symptoms. And I will fight any man who dares to try and take her.”

Lev bristles. “I cannot guarantee no one will⁠—”

“Because you are a spineless coward.” Her eyes flare with disdain. “You’ve never been good enough for my Elara, and now you have done her the grace of proving it.”

He flinches as if struck. The facade cracks, and heartbreak darkens his stare. “Things are more complicated⁠—”

“Don’t,” I croak.

Lev turns to me. “Elara, I⁠—”

“Don’t,” I say again, angry at myself for the tears that burn my eyes. “Just leave…please.”

I think it’s the please that does it.

Lev looks at me like I’ve ripped out his heart and stomped it on the stone floor—like he’s not the one who walked away hours ago when he knew his comrade was going to beat me. Like he hasn’t sacrificed the peace of every human south of the Veil by joining the foolish effort to act against the Fae.

We’ve had almost fifty years of relative peace. Now they’re going to ruin it all.

Lev pivots on his boot and leaves without another word or glance. When the door shuts behind him, another tear falls. I wipe it away with a scowl and meet Juniper’s pointed stare.

“What?” I ask.

She holds up her hand. “Nothing.”

I swipe away another tear. “What do we do now?”

“Well, we don’t have much time.” She lowers her hand and shoots a pointed look at Silas, who is still lying, eyes closed, against the wall. “You must use your power.”

I bite my lip and look at Silas, remembering his unconscious act earlier. “I don’t know⁠—”

“The time for secrecy is over, Elara. You’re a prisoner, and if those men have anything to say about it, you will be for a long time.”

“But the town needs me...”

“They do, but they also need a villain to hate. And you know as well as I that they were wary of you the moment you agreed to help the Fae.”

“But I did it for them!”

Everything I’ve done my entire life has been to prove my worth to everyone around me. To prove that even as a Kinless orphan, I have value. That I can help people.

Understanding, raw and painful, shines from Juniper’s eyes. Bones creak as she lowers herself to sit next to me. Her wrinkled hand takes mine, and she holds tight.

“You’ve done well, my love. So well. But now…it’s time to do something for yourself. Call on your gift. Use it to free yourself.”